Simon Cowell axed Cheryl Cole from US show 'to protect her'

X FACTOR boss Simon Cowell hopes he is still "close friends" with Cheryl Cole after dropping her from the US show.

He took "full responsibility" for the decision to replace Cole on the judging panel with former Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger.

It was reported Cole had lost the job last month - only three weeks after she was given it. That led to speculation about her next career move and her relationship with Cowell.

He said he was worried the Newcastle-born star was "uncomfortable" in America and offered to give her a place back in the UK show, which would have earned her about 2.5 million. When she refused that, Cowell said he offered to take her back to America but she again turned him down. He said: "The hardest thing to accept is that everyone has painted me as a monster because I embarrassed her, but the truth was I was protecting her. I just want people to be in the best place at the right time"